Your "End of Summer in Austin" Bucket List

It’s hard to believe it’s already August! Soon kids will be going back to school, temperatures will start to drop, and before you know it, autumn will have arrived. If you’re wondering how to make the most of your last few weeks of summer in Austin, we’ve compiled a list of events, attractions, and must-do’s to keep you busy.

Visit a swimming hole (or several!)

If you’ve spent a summer here in the sweltering heat, it’s easy to see why Austinites are big fans of swimming. One of the things that makes summer in Central Texas so unique is the abundance of swimming holes that offer beautiful surroundings as you cool off. There are plenty of great places to swim within city limits (Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, and Red Bud Isle are popular choices), and a quick drive provides you access to remarkable sites like Hamilton Pool, Krause Springs, and the Blue Hole at Wimberley.

Feel the heat at the Hot Sauce Festival

Hot sauce enthusiasts come together annually for what has become the world’s largest hot sauce fest! The event, held annually at Fiesta Gardens, features over 250 recipe entries and draws an attendance of around 15,000 spectators each year. Also a major fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, the festival is free to the public with the donation of 3 cans of non-perishable food or suggested $5 cash donation. If you’re a spicy food lover, you won’t want to miss this end-of-summer event!

Watch the bats on Congress Avenue Bridge

It’s a well-known tourist attraction, but even locals come out in droves to watch the 1.5 million bats emerge from under Congress Avenue Bridge each night at dusk. July and August are said to be the best months of the year to catch the bats in flight, as this is when new pups begin to forage with their mothers. That means it’s the perfect time for this signature Austin activity. You can even attend the 10th annual Bat Fest on August 23rd, 2014 to watch the bats while enjoying food, music, and art vendors.

Enjoy tubing and music at Floatfest

Floatfest is unlike any music festival you’ve ever heard of before. Hosted at Cool River Ranch in Martindale, concertgoers tube down the San Marcos River and enjoy a music festival all in the same day. Can’t make Floatfest? There are many places around Austin that will let you rent tubes and coolers to float down the various Central Texas rivers while it’s still hot outside!

Attend Trailer Food Tuesday

Although Trailer Food Tuesday technically runs through the beginning of autumn, who doesn’t want to sample cuisine from several different local food trucks on a summer night? Trailers line up around the lawn at the Long Center every Tuesday from 5pm-9pm, bringing a bit of Austin’s finest truck food to one central location. Another big selling point: since the event is presented by Real Ale Brewing Company, there’s a full bar of local Texas brews available to pair with your dinner.

Zipline on Lake Travis

Discover your inner thrill seeker before fall rolls around! For those looking for a more daring way to view Austin, there are several places that provide zip line tours on Lake Travis. There’s often a short hike to the start point, but you’ll be generously repaid in breathtaking views and the chance to cool off in the lake afterwards. If you want to make a trip out of it, some people rent a cabin near the lake for a couple nights in addition to going ziplining.

Climb Mount Bonnell

Watching the sunset from Mount Bonnell is a must if you live in Austin. This lookout point in West Austin gives visitors stunning views of the city, the lake, and the gorgeous homes built into the hillside. You’ll have to climb a long staircase to reach the top, but we promise the trip is worth it.

Listen to live bands for free at Blues on the Green

If you’ve missed this awesome music series all summer, you’ll have a couple more shots in August to catch a free concert in Zilker Park! Held on certain Wednesday nights at 8pm, Blues on the Green is the perfect weekday event for people who like listening to music from a blanket on the grass. Bring your own picnic or enjoy the dozens of food vendors that set up tents around the perimeters of the lawn.

Cool off at Schlitterbahn

In the sweltering summer heat, there’s hardly anything better than a day trip to the water park. Schlitterbahn Water Park is one of the best in Texas, located less than an hour outside of Austin in New Braunfels. This massive park offers several pools, dozens of water slides, tubing, and other attractions for people of all ages, making it a great place to go with friends or family. But if you’re interested, you should act soon--Schlitterbahn only stays open through mid-September.

Catch a back-to-back movie/concert at Sound & Cinema

This is the type of event you could only find in Austin. This combination film and concert series (a joint effort from Alamo Drafthouse and Do512) is held on alternating Wednesdays throughout the summer on the lawn of the Long Center. Attendees can enjoy a classic film as well as a show by notable musicians. The event offers a perfect view of the skyline and delicious food vended by Austin food trucks. There are a few more showings left in the summer, so make sure to include a Sound & Cinema night in your August plans!

There you have it! Ten things to make sure you cross off your list before summer completely disappears. And if you haven't become a part of the experience that is living in Austin yet, make sure to get in touch with the Pauly Presley Realty team and we'll make sure you find the home for you!